Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to peace, stability and progress in the region. He said, Islamabad was prepared to move beyond recent hostilities with India but insisted that any dialogue must be based on equality and fairness.
Speaking at a gathering of overseas Pakistanis in London, the premier announced that a ceasefire had come into effect after a four-day military conflict, declaring that Islamabad retaliated with a befitting reply to India for its unjust aggression.
“We want peace, we want progress, we want prosperity, and we want the eradication of unemployment in Pakistan,” he specifically mentioned.
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Prime Minister Shehbaz stressed that Pakistan sought peace not only on the battlefield but also through investment and economic partnerships. “We turned Pakistan into a formidable military force. Now is the time to build an equally strong economy,” he added.
Despite tensions, the prime minister reiterated that Islamabad had consistently pursued dialogue with New Delhi on long-standing disputes, including Kashmir, water-sharing, trade and counter-terrorism.
“I have made this offer many times, and the world knows it,” he said. “We want to sit down and talk with you, to find a way forward and address the challenges that have plagued our relationship for decades.”
He warned that relations could not normalise without resolving the Kashmir dispute.
PM Shehbaz said, Pakistan and India are neighbors in the region and good relations between the two nations depend on sorting out the issues amicably and peacefully through dialogue, not through force.
The prime minister hailed Pakistan’s May 10 victory as a historic milestone that, which delivered a ‘powerful message to the enemy’.
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“From Karachi to Peshawar, the entire nation bowed in gratitude before God,” he said, adding that the victory had enhanced respect for Pakistan’s green passport globally.
The premier also condemned ongoing violence in Gaza and reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause. He urged the international community to act to end the suffering of Palestinians, pledging that Pakistan would remain a voice for justice at global forums.
He lauded overseas Pakistanis as “ambassadors of Pakistan” who not only contribute to the economy but also defend the country’s political narrative abroad.
Highlighting their contribution, he revealed that overseas Pakistanis sent a record $38.5 billion in remittances last year, which he described as the backbone of the economy.
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Turning to domestic challenges, PM Shehbaz acknowledged the importance of foreign investment and financial aid in stabilising the economy but urged the nation to strive for self-sufficiency.
“We must get rid of debts and stand on our own feet,” he said. “When we make Pakistan a great economic power, the world will listen to us.”
With more than 60 per cent of the population comprising youth, he called for skill development in IT, artificial intelligence and vocational training.
Concluding his address, the prime minister emphasised, “The unity of political and military leadership in pursuit of a common vision of a great Pakistan and God willing, we will make it a reality.”
